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Sebastian please see below for information.



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No visitors, no interviews, no backstage, no book signings..

Postby jarkko on Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:22 am
I have again to appeal to all members: please do NOT email me with requests to meet Leonard backstage during the tour.
I am still getting several emails every day with all kinds of wishes. I'd love to help, but unfortunately it is not possible, and the reason has been explained here several times.
Because of the very hectic tour itinerary Leonard is not able to invite visitors, he is not giving any interviews, and is not going backstage after the concerts. The short periods between the sound checks, concerts and continuous traveling from country to country have to be reserved for rest. I am sure we all can understand this.
Update: unfortunately songs can not be dedicated to individual persons in the audience. Far too many requests of that kind are coming in before every concert!
Jarkko
Helsinki 1988, 1993. 2008: Manchester June 17 & 18 | Oslo July 1 | London July 17 | Berlin October 4 | Helsinki October 10 | RAH London November 17 & 18 | 2009: New York February 19

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No backstage / visitors / interviews / signings

Postby jarkko on Sun Mar 01, 2009 3:41 am
I have again to appeal to all members: please do NOT email me with requests to meet Leonard backstage during the tour.
I'd love to help, but unfortunately it is not possible, and the reason has been explained here at the Forum several times.

Because of the very hectic tour itinerary Leonard cannot invite visitors, he is not giving any interviews *), and is not going backstage after the concerts. The short periods between the sound checks, concerts and continuous traveling from city to city have to be reserved for rest. I am sure we all can understand this.

Unfortunately songs can not be dedicated to individual persons in the audience. Far too many requests of that kind are coming in before every concert!
The set list for the evening is nailed during the sound check, so please no song requests during the concert!

There will be noo book/CD signings.

I don't know if that holds completely true. Notice how it had to be revised after the Beacon concert.

Hello at all

I finally bought a ticket for "The big master" in Berlin 2. July. Its Block A left, Row 17 Seat 8. I hope I have a great view?! What do you think?

Ok this does not matter...my question is how might I shake hands with him?! I know that there will be no autograph sessions and thoose things, but i would like to be there about 10 hours earlier just to see him and talk some words with him... What do you think might there be an chance to talk with him and meet him before the concert maybe while the soundcheck? Does any of you has an idea how I could meet him???

Thank you very much for your help.

Yours sincerely Cohenity Sebastian Tischer (Germany)

Hi Sebastian ~

Welcome to the world of Leonard appreciatiors, en force .

My brief response to your query here and elsewhere is that we all, or the vast majority of us, understand your desire to meet and speak with Leonard, when he comes to Berlin or anywhere else. In order for Leonard to give so much to so many, however, he must MUST conserve his psychic, emotional, and physical energy. So our giving you hints... especially when it comes to sound checks, a most private affair... is just not a likely outcome. Subjugating the interest of the individual for the sake of the whole is really the priority of most who will read your request.

My sincere and very best advice is for you to go about your days and your life as you normally would. A chance encounter would be the best; and the best attitude would be to not expect or try to manipulate one into existence.

It's critical that his time on these tours remains monastic unless only he chooses otherwise.


~ Lizzy

Well said, Lizzy. That's how it goes.

You know the funny thing is: I don't think I DO want to meet Leonard. Over the years he has reached such iconic status in my mind that if I did have the chance to meet him or spotted him out and about somewhere I would not have a clue what to say to him. The usual platitudes - great concert last night, I've admired your work for 40 years etc etc - just seem so inadequate. I've come across a lot of musicians at various events over the years and never have a problem talking to them as equals. However, I could never feel that way about a chat with Leonard. Once a 14 year old with a crush, always a 14 year-old with a crush I suppose ...

Any one else feel the same way or is it just me?

Wendy

Once a 14 year old with a crush, always a 14 year-old with a crush I suppose ...

I loved that.

I barely said anything, Wendy. In my mind, meet-and-greet or even chance encounters don't really lend themselves to very meaningful or, really, even very 'normal' conversation. Time feels incredibly compressed in a very unnatural way, so there you are trying to 'sum it all up' when real and valid summations are all but impossible. If feeling pressured to say it 'right,' you so easily say it 'wrong'... or you say too 'little'... or too 'much'... or you're 'incomplete' or you 'gush' or you 'ramble'... you don't want to hold or detain him, so time and your words are compressed even more... or you have no sense of those boundaries, at all, and you realize later you probably imposed, but he never let it show... time is rarely on your side in such circumstances. The situation is simply not natural. To be fair, though, this is how it is for me, and it may not be that way for others.

Blessed be those who have the chance encounter and it all goes well . I've read a number of them here where they seem to have done so... and, of course, Leonard must surely appreciate being told in all our stammering ways how much we love him, so imposing is not always 'imposing'... yet, his time is still his own. For these tours, without offense to his fans, he has chosen to not do meet-and-greets, and that's worth remembering.


~ Lizzy

Sometimes I find it almost surreal that so many people actually get to meet him and he always is nice to them. I've never heard/read any word from someone, who met him, saying that he would have been unkind. Nobody could say that about me, I fear.
It's more than fascinating, when you're thinking about his status and in contrast to that, you're reading all those stories and you definitely can't deny that he must be a man of the people. Fascinating, truly fascinating.

Thanks for the help with deleting my extraneous messages! Yes, it's only the last posting which can be deleted. Now I know ...

Anyway, back to topic - I've enjoyed reading all about the various unexpected encounters with Leonard. It must be an amazing experience, but I know if it happened to me, I'd be either completely tongue-tied, or witter on like an idiot and then feel embarrassed. So - has anyone got any idea what they'd say to him if they bumped into him, say, in a car park in Bournemouth, or had to fill a few moments while your partner returned from the loo!

A cute silent encounter with Leonard:

http://titoagogo.livejournal.com/42760.html

Good instruction for those who worry they won't be able to speak.

The great thing about Leonard is that he relates to those who appreciate him as people rather than treating them as "Cohenites"!

Thanks for the encounter blog, Megan The last part especially cracks me up--the guy's co-workers saying "Who?"

The last part especially cracks me up--the guy's co-workers saying "Who?"

Me too. That was the part that made me believe the encounter was 100% truthful. No one but another Cohen fan would understand that.

It is great advice Marie and it saves one from the embarassment of saying something stupid or fawning all over LC.

Maybe I'm over analyzing, but how did they manage to do this with all the items they were carrying ? Gotta start practicing - just in case .

Best regards,
Mary

Haha. Yes, it does read as being real. A cute encounter, indeed. No idea how you found it, but thanks for posting it, Marie .


~ Lizzy